Isaiah 9

1 Nevertheless the dimness [shall] not [be] such as [was] in her distress, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict [her by] the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.

But the darkness shall not remain where now is distress; Of old he brought the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali into contempt; In future times shall he bring the land of the sea beyond Jordan, the circle of the gentiles, into honor.

2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shades of death, upon them hath the light shined.

The people that walk in darkness behold a great light; They who dwell in the land of death-like shade, Upon them a light shineth.

3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, [and] not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, [and] as [men] rejoice when they divide the spoil.

Thou enlargest the nation; Thou increasest their joy; They rejoice before thee with the joy of harvest, With the joy of those who divide the spoil.

4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

For thou breakest their heavy yoke, And the rod that smote their backs, And the scourge of the taskmaster, As in the day of Midian.

5 For every battle of the warrior [is] with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but [this] shall be with burning [and] fuel of fire.

For every greave of the warrior in battle, And the war-garment rolled in blood, Shall be burned; yea, it shall be food for the fire.

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

For to us a child is born, To us a son is given, And the government shall be upon his shoulder, And he shall be called Wonderful, counsellor, mighty potentate, Everlasting father, prince of peace;

7 Of the increase of [his] government and peace [there shall be] no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

His dominion shall be great, And peace without end shall be upon the throne of David and his kingdom, To fix and establish it Through justice and equity, Henceforth and forever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will do this.

8 The LORD sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

The Lord sendeth a word against Jacob; It cometh down to Israel.

9 And all the people shall know, [even] Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,

His whole people shall feel it, Ephraim, and the inhabitants of Samaria, Who say in pride and arrogance of heart,

10 The bricks have fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change [them into] cedars.

“The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.”

11 Therefore the LORD will set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;

Jehovah will raise up the enemies of Rezin against them, And will arm their adversaries;

12 The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still.

The Syrians before, the Philistines behind, Who shall devour Israel with wide jaws. For all this his anger is not turned away, But his hand is stretched out still.

13 For the people turn not to him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.

The people turn not to him that smiteth them; Neither do they seek Jehovah of hosts.

14 Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.

Therefore shall Jehovah cut off from Israel the head and the tail, The palm-branch and the rush, in one day.

15 The ancient and honorable, he [is] the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he [is] the tail.

[[The aged and the honorable are the head, And the prophet that speaketh falsehood is the tail.]]

16 For the leaders of this people cause [them] to err; and [they that are] led by them [are] destroyed.

For the leaders of this people lead them astray, And they that are led by them go to destruction.

17 Therefore the LORD will have no joy in their young men, neither will have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one [is] a hypocrite and an evil-doer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still.

Therefore shall the Lord have no joy in their young men, And on their orphans and widows he shall have no compassion; For they are all profane, and evil-doers; Every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, But his hand is stretched out still.

18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up [like] the rising of smoke.

For wickedness burneth like a fire, It consumeth the briers and thorns, And it kindleth the thicket of the forest, So that it goeth up in columns of smoke.

19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

Through the wrath of Jehovah of hosts is the land burned, And the people are food for the fire; No one spareth another.

20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:

They consume on the right hand, and yet are hungry; They devour on the left, and are not satisfied; Every one devoureth the flesh of his arm.

21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: [and] they together [shall be] against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still.

Manasseh is against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh, And both together against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, But his hand is stretched out still.